Page 31 of Roman

“I need you to watch my back, got that? Tell me where I’m going. Be my eyes out there Wiz.” I push the com in my ear, testing it to make sure it works only to hear Rock yelling on the other end.

“Don’t you fucking dare go out there you crazy son of a bitch!”

I laugh and shake my head at Wiz who has stopped his surveillance of the area and is looking at me. “You serious? I don’t know how many are out there.”

“Don’t you let him go out there Wiz.” I can hear Rock on the other end still but Wiz isn’t listening.

“Got my back brother?” he is hesitant at first then he nods his head only slightly then points to the corner of the room.

“Grab a few of them. You’re going to need it.” I smile spreads across my face when I open up the gun safe and find just what I need. It takes no time to weigh myself down with a double barrel and some ammo. I also grab a few more mags for my gun then high tail it out of there before Rock comes barreling inside to tackle me to the ground. Swiftly as possible I make my way to the back door and wait for the ok from Wiz to go outside. “You’re clear,” he tells me as the door buzzes and I open it up and step outside.

“Your path is clear to the shed. There is one back toward the east of the shop.” I listen to Wiz in my ears as I dash toward the shed then peer around the corner.

“South?”

“They have all come up close. I don’t see anything out that far but that doesn’t mean there are no snipers, so stay low,” he warns me as I round the small building. The sun now has set enough to blanket everything in an orange hue which makes it near impossible to see a damn thing. “You got one in between the shop and that old truck. He’s crouched down by the tire.” I nod as if Wiz can hear me and take my knife out of my belt. Doing my best to keep quiet I make my way over to the old junker of a truck that probably hasn’t been moved in twenty years. When I get past the tailgate I catch sight of my first target and ease forward only to have my shirt sleeve get caught on the truck’s rusty bumper. The tearing sound is enough to make the guy turn around and spot me before I can get my knife to his throat. He comes at me full force and hits me right in the stomach with his shoulder. We hit the ground hard and I have to force the air back into my lungs. He’s got his gun up aiming it right at my face when I push it away enough to keep the bullet he lets off from hitting me. The sound echoes all around us then ringing is all I can hear while I continue to wrestle the gun from his hands.

The truck is close enough that I try slamming his hand holding the gun onto the running board. I must get it hit just right because his grip loosens enough for the gun to go flying across the dirt. Taking that moment as my chance I fling an elbow into his jaw. He jerks to the side long enough for me to grab my gun and pull the trigger. The stench of blood fills the air around us as he drops to the ground. I slowly stand and swipe my arm across my face to get the misted blood off my skin. “Where’s the next one?” I ask but get no response. That is when I hear clapping from behind me.

“What a show.” I turn to find Mike standing only feet away, two men flanking him with their guns directed at me.

“That all you got with ya?” I ask.

“I'm here for the girl. No reason why everyone has to die for one little brat,” he says ignoring the question. I still can't hear Wiz in my ear and when I glance at the ground I know why. My earpiece must have fallen out during the fight.

“Yeah, I figured you would say something like that.” I bend down to grab the small earpiece and the two men take one step closer to me, fingers ready on the trigger.

“Keep still Roman,” Mike warns me.

“Easy. Just grabbing my earpiece. How can I get what you need if I can’t contact the inside.” He almost looks hopeful that I'm ready to comply so easily as I slip the piece into my ear again.

“What the hell is your plan Roman?” Rock is the one in my ear this time.

“What is it you want Mike? Pria or the kid? Or both?” I ask doing my best to keep my anger at bay. I'm about to come out of my skin when the asshole actually thinks it over.

“Just the girl. You can keep the mother. Call her a gift.” Tilting my head to the side the bones in my neck crack with the action, but it does nothing to relieve the stress building up there.

“Generous. Hey Rock,” I call out, “Have the kid come out here.” A scream comes from the inside of the clubhouse and I am under no illusion it came from anyone except Pria.

“Jesus you better have a good fucking plan Roman. Your woman is going to skin you alive,” Rock says in my ear. I hold my breath as Rhylee steps outside the clubhouse doors, her arms are wrapped around herself in protection as she makes her way down the steps. I catch the slightest glance of Pria before the door closes behind our daughter. It’s enough to see that one of the brothers is holding her back as she struggles to get to Rhylee.

“There she is. Come on girl, we don’t have all day.” Mike waves Rhylee over. She reluctantly goes to him all the while not taking her eyes off me. When she is close enough Mike reaches out and pulls her to his chest. He uses her as a human shield as he starts to back up. “Pleasure doing business with you.”

“I do have one question before you go, Mike.”

He stalls a moment in his retreat. “What would that be?”

“Fast or slow?”

“Fast or slow what?” he gripes getting agitated.

“How you want to die. Do you want it to be fast or for it to be slow? Personally, I hope you pick slow because right now seeing you handle my daughter like you are, I would take my time ripping you apart and enjoy every second of it. Although, I am a man of my word so if you do choose the fast route I will put a bullet right between your eyes and be done with it.”

He lets out a panicked string of laughter. “You hand over the kid then you try to intimidate me? What kind of tactic is that? You gave up your only leverage.” His confusion is almost laughable.

“Oh believe me Mikey, Rhylee isn’t leverage. She’s the weapon.” With that Rhylee pulls out her knife and flicks it open. In one quick practiced move she stabs Mike right in the thigh and twists the blade with all of her strength.

It’s when the guy to the left of Mike turns to see what is causing his boss to scream out in agony that Ringer takes his shot from his perch on the roof. The red mist sprays across the pebbled parking lot of the clubhouse. Probably not for the first time either. So much blood has spilled on this ground and there is about to be a little more.

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